Notice of Preparation for The Albany Project Page 1 of 4 The City of Los Angeles (City) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed The Albany Project (Project). In accordance with Section 15082 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the City has prepared this Notice of Preparation to provide the public, nearby residents and property owners, responsible agencies, and other interested parties with information regarding the Project and its potential environmental effects. The EIR will be prepared by outside consultants under the supervision of the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning. The City requests your written comments as to the scope and contents of the EIR, including mitigation measures or project alternatives to reduce potential environmental impacts from the Project. Comments must be submitted in writing according to directions below. If you represent a public agency, the City seeks written comments as to the scope and content of the environmental information in the EIR that are germane to your agency’s statutory responsibilities in connection with the Project. Your agency may need to use the EIR prepared by the City when considering your permit or other approval for the Project. A Public Scoping Meeting will be held to receive input as to what environmental topics the EIR should study. No decisions about the Project are made at the Public Scoping Meeting. Additional project details, meeting information, and instructions for public comment submittal are listed below. PROJECT LOCATION AND EXISTING ON-SITE USES: The Project Site and proposed Sign District are located in the Westlake Community Plan of the City of Los Angeles (City). The Site is bounded on the north by Pico Boulevard, on the west by Albany Street, on the south by 14th Street, and on the east by the Harbor (I-110) Freeway. Existing on-site uses include a three- story office building, a single-family residence, and a church. See attached Project Location Map. February 28, 2020 ENVIRONMENTAL CASE NO.: ENV-2018-3456-EIR PROJECT NAME: The Albany Project PROJECT APPLICANT: 1330 West Pico Blvd Group, LLC PROJECT ADDRESS: 1330 W. Pico Boulevard, 1308-1348 S. Albany Street, Los Angeles, California 90015 ADDITIONAL SIGN DISTRICT LOCATION: 1315 W. 14th Street and 1350, 1356 S. Albany Street COMMUNITY PLAN AREA: Westlake COUNCIL DISTRICT: 1 - Cedillo PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD February 28, 2020 – March 30, 2020 SCOPING MEETING March 19, 2020, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. See below for additional information
Transcript
Notice of Preparation for The Albany Project Page 1 of 4
The City of Los Angeles (City) intends to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the proposed The Albany Project (Project). In accordance with Section 15082 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, the City has prepared this Notice of Preparation to provide the public, nearby residents and property owners, responsible agencies, and other interested parties with information regarding the Project and its potential environmental effects. The EIR will be prepared by outside consultants under the supervision of the City of Los Angeles, Department of City Planning.
The City requests your written comments as to the scope and contents of the EIR, including mitigation measures or project alternatives to reduce potential environmental impacts from the Project. Comments must be submitted in writing according to directions below. If you represent a public agency, the City seeks written comments as to the scope and content of the environmental information in the EIR that are germane to your agency’s statutory responsibilities in connection with the Project. Your agency may need to use the EIR prepared by the City when considering your permit or other approval for the Project.
A Public Scoping Meeting will be held to receive input as to what environmental topics the EIR should study. No decisions about the Project are made at the Public Scoping Meeting. Additional project details, meeting information, and instructions for public comment submittal are listed below.
PROJECT LOCATION AND EXISTING ON-SITE USES: The Project Site and proposed Sign District are located in the Westlake Community Plan of the City of Los Angeles (City). The Site is bounded on the north by Pico Boulevard, on the west by Albany Street, on the south by 14th Street, and on the east by the Harbor (I-110) Freeway. Existing on-site uses include a three-story office building, a single-family residence, and a church.
See attached Project Location Map.
February 28, 2020
ENVIRONMENTAL CASE NO.: ENV-2018-3456-EIR
PROJECT NAME: The Albany Project
PROJECT APPLICANT: 1330 West Pico Blvd Group, LLC
PROJECT ADDRESS: 1330 W. Pico Boulevard, 1308-1348 S. Albany Street, Los Angeles, California 90015
ADDITIONAL SIGN DISTRICT LOCATION: 1315 W. 14th Street and 1350, 1356 S. Albany Street
COMMUNITY PLAN AREA: Westlake
COUNCIL DISTRICT: 1 - Cedillo
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD February 28, 2020 – March 30, 2020
SCOPING MEETING March 19, 2020, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. See below for additional information
Notice of Preparation for The Albany Project Page 2 of 4
PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The Project involves the demolition of an approximately 150,257-square-foot, three-story office building (which has been vacant since 2016) with rooftop and surface parking located on an 114,132-gross-square-foot (2.62-acre) rectangular-shaped site and the construction of a 37-story (480-foot-tall building), 722,005-square-foot (6.45:1 FAR), mixed-use development with a five-level podium and a tower located on the north side of the Project Site. The development would include a 730-guest room hotel, 63,356 square feet of conference space, 5,405 square feet of office (hotel administration) space, 19,665 square feet of restaurant and bar use, and 9,325 square feet of spa/fitness space. Parking would be provided within four subterranean parking levels (approximately 43 feet in depth). The Project would provide short-term and long-term bicycle parking spaces located adjacent to the public right-of-way on Pico Boulevard and Albany Street and within the proposed parking levels. The Project would include the excavation and export of 168,400 cubic yards of soil from the Project Site. A City-initiated Sign District would also be implemented on the Project Site and the adjacent single-family home (1350 Albany) and church (1356 Albany Street and 1315 14th Street) sites that make up the full city block. No other change would be made to the residential use or church. The Project also would include a comprehensive signage program. The Project includes a boundary change to the Pico - Union Historic Preservation Overlay Zone to remove a portion of the site from the Historic District.
Proposed Uses Proposed Uses Quantity Floor Area (sf)
Hotel 730 rooms 624,254
Ballroom Jr. Ballroom
Meeting Rooms Rooftop Pavilion
Conference Functions Total
21,273 8,226
26,814 7,043
63,356
Hotel Admin Office 5,405
Lobby Restaurant Lobby Bar
All Day Restaurant Specialty Restaurant
Rooftop Bar Restaurants and Bars Total
87 seats 167 seats 195 seats 170 seats 473 seats
3,233 3,117 7,678 3,710 1,917
19,665
Spa/Fitness 9,325 Total 722,005
sf = square feet REQUESTED ACTIONS: 1. Pursuant to City Charter Section 555 and the Los Angeles Municipal Code (LAMC) Section 11.5.6, a
City-Initiated General Plan Amendment from “Commercial Manufacturing” to “Regional Center Commercial” and exemption from Footnote No. 2 of the Westlake Community Plan.
2. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.32, a City-Initiated Vesting Zone Change and Height District Change from CM-1 and CM-1-HPOZ to C2-4.
3. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.20.3 F.3, a City-Initiated change to the boundary of the Pico-Union Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ) to remove a portion of the Project Site from the HPOZ.
4. Pursuant to LAMC Sections 13.11, a City-Initiated Sign District on the Project Site and certain
Notice of Preparation for The Albany Project Page 3 of 4
surrounding parcels.
5. Pursuant to LAMC Section 16.05, a Site Plan Review for the development of 50 or more guest rooms or the development of 50,000 square feet or more of non-residential floor area.
6. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24 W.1 and W.18, a Master Conditional Use Permit for off-site and on-site sales and consumption of a full line of alcoholic beverages and live entertainment and dancing.
7. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24 W.18, a Conditional Use Permit for live entertainment and dancing.
8. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.24,X.20, a Determination to permit two or more uses to share their off-street parking spaces.
9. Pursuant to LAMC Section 12.27, a Zone Variance to permit reduced short-term bicycle parking requirements.
10. Pursuant to LAMC Section 17.03 and 17.15, a Vesting Tentative Tract Map No. 82122 for the merger of 20 lots into one master lot and subdivision of 17 airspace lots; and a haul route for the export of approximately 168,400 cubic yards of soil.
11. Other discretionary and ministerial permits and approvals that may be deemed necessary, including, but not limited to, temporary street closure permits, grading permits, excavation permits, haul route permit, foundation permits, and building permits.
POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE PROJECT: Based on an Initial Study, the proposed project could have potentially significant environmental impacts in the following topic areas, which will be addressed in the EIR:
Air Quality, Cultural Resources, Energy, Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Land Use and Planning, Noise, Public Services (fire protection and police protection), Transportation, Tribal Cultural Resources, and Utilities and Service Systems (water, wastewater, solid waste).
PUBLIC SCOPING MEETING:
A Public Scoping Meeting will be held in an open house format to share information regarding the Project and the environmental review process and to receive written public comments regarding the scope and content of the environmental analysis to be addressed in the EIR. City staff, environmental consultants, and project representatives will be available, but no formal presentation is scheduled. You may stop by at any time during the hours listed below to view materials, ask questions, and provide written comments. The City encourages all interested individuals and organizations to attend this meeting. Written comments may be submitted, but there will be no verbal comments or public testimony taken at the Public Scoping Meeting. No decisions about the Project will be made at the Public Scoping Meeting. A separate public hearing for Municipal Code entitlement requests, will be scheduled after the completion of the EIR. The date, time, and location of the Public Scoping Meeting are as follows:
Date: March 19, 2020 Time: 5:00 P.M.–7:00 P.M. Location: The Pico Union Project
1153 Valencia Street Los Angeles, CA 90015 Free parking will be available at the scoping meeting location.
